Mechanical surgery appliance.



o. WEST & R. BERNARD.

MECHANICAL SURGERY APPLIANGE'.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1913.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THE NIJRRls PETERS cnu FHom-LlTHa. WASHINGTON. n. c,

C. WEST & R. BERNARD. MECHANICAL SURGERY APPLIANCE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNI; 9, 191s.

1,1 16,773. Patented Nov. 1o, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

o .vivid 7H 'J MORRIS PETERS Ca. PHTo-LITH L. WASHINGTON, Dy c.

to some extent the spinal cord, thereby caus `ianoriaiiionnsuitennrnrrniaivcn. f i

T0 allzu/wm t may concern i Be it known that we, CHARLoTTn WEST and vROY BERNARD, citizensof the United States,`

residing at Chicago, inthe countyy of Cook and State of Illinois, havevinvented a new and useful lmprovement in Mechanical Snrgery' Appliances,yof'which the following is a specification. 'n ,Y

lt has been discovered that certain diseases, one of weich isinfantileparalysis, may be successfullytreatedby'producing an extension yof thespinal column to,s`ubstan tially the limit of. its normal capability anding normal physiological functioning of the tissues involved. ln thetreatment of diiferent diseases amenableto this form of treat-v ment,the elongation ofthe spinal column should takeplace at ldifferentvertebrae, in

the case of infantile paralysis it beingfound most effective to elongatethe low'eiend vof the spinalL column beginning with thentwelfth dorsalvertebra. y y E Our object is toproyide a simple, economical fandreliable appliancey by which the treatment above referred to may bepractised vwithout danger of injury Ato the spinal column.l

rReferring to the accompanying drawing,- Figure l is a view in elevationshowing our invention in use, the support tofwhich the supporting-chainsfor the belt are attached being broken away. Fig. 2 is a face view ofthe belt (shown in flat condition) forming a part `of the structureillustrated in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the reverse side of I the belt. Fig. e is anenlarged broken longitudinal sectional view of thebelt, together with asectional view ofthe spinal column, thelatteriand tliebelt being yshownin the relative positions assumed by them when the belt is fastened inplace about the body of the patient. Fig. 5 is a section taken at theline 5 on Fig. 4 and viewed inv the direction of the arrow; and F ig. 6,a section taken at the line 6, on Fig. l and viewed in the direction ofthe arrow. i

ln carrying out our invention in the preferred manner we provide yabelt-section 7 adapted to be strapped aboutlthe body of the patient atthe point at which it is desired thatthe elongation of the spinal columntake place, and means for supporting the belt in such position as willcause the patient tobe wholly suspended by the belt. l

The belt-section 7 may ,be of any suitable Specification ofLetterslatent. yPatented ,NQViQlQlL Appiicatioa medium 9,1913. seiiaino.*frases y f f form `andof any suitable material, vit beingcieesirabiethatitbe ersuehformain itlwiiif not injure ythe `spinalcolumn.-

As weprefer to construct vthe belt it is" formed of a body-'section' Sofleather, saidl body-section being ofy a, length sufiicient to canseit1 to y,approximately encircle f the body of the patient, abuckleequipped-strap beingprovided on the outer side ofthe body-`section 8 top'erinit it tobe' fastemedin position on the patient.l[Securedtotheinner side of the bodyfs'ec'tionv 8 to'extend midway'betn'reeln the Tende ofthe lat-tenis a strip 10` of relatively stifffleather whichy is `bent intoy conyolutedforiii, as represented (Fig.1l) the y strip l0 beiiiglisecured to the body-sectionB at those pointslwhere itlies Aagainst"thelat"- ter, as by-stitcliing it atll, the stripl0 being preferably so formed as to r`clause its convo-'` lutelportioi'igtojbe spaced from the body-fy section 8 a greater ,distance atitstop than at the bottom of'said' section 8 and thus i taperdownwardly. `Padding 19. 'of any snit-L 18,0 inner side ofthebody-section 8 and strip 10, f

able material, such as wochen-ends over the as represented, and is; heldinplace bya cov-v ering 13 ofany suitable material, such as i elo-tl,'which is" stitched to the indicated at 14. e

section Silas ,The strip l() is sorformed as to present `ay recessedsection 14- about midway between' the ends ofthe section 8 oppositev towhichl 1 Y the lfindding l2 is `slightly depressed, asindicated at'l,for ay purpose hereinafter eX# plaine'd'. `j f. ln' using the applianceit is'v fastened about the bodyof the vpatient 'in position to cause theposterior' t process of the spinalc'olumn to oppose the recessed portion14 of the strip lO= substantially as represented in Fig. a, the spinalcolumn beingrepresented at 16,

thebelt being so positioned as to cause it to l lembracel the bodyfofthepatient immedivatelyv above the point atwhich elongation of thespinal column is to be effected. After positioning the'belt asdescribed, the strap 9 is buckled about the patient and the patient thensuspended from the belt in in`k y clined position substantially asrepresentedy for the desired length of time by any suit-,7'y

able means, as for example, by chainsl?,

depending from any suitable supportand fastened to rings 18 on the belt,as repre# sented in Fig'. l, these rings being so located as shown as tocause the i, belt to inclinel downwardly and rearwardly when suspendiio`n. s

ing a patient as represented in Fig. l, in

practice these rings preferably being posi-k 'tioned to eXtend oppositethe mammary rextend at opposite sides of the posterior process thereof.Furthermore by thus forming the belt there is a tendency to thestimulation of theposterior branches of the spinal nerves, viz., thoseat the opposite sides -of the posterior process, y'due to the provisionof thesections 18 and"l9 of the strip 10, against which the transverseprocess of the spinal column bear, this last referred to feature alsobeing of importance,l

as it prevents undue pressure against the ribs ofthe patient. 'l

" Vhile we haveillustrated and described a particular embodiment of ourinvention, we do not wish to be understood as intending to limit itthereto,'as the samemay be variously modified and.` altered withoutdepart- 1 ing from the spirit of'our invention.

vWhat we claim as 'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isy 1 Anappliance for the purpose set forth,

comprising a belt-section adapted Vto bev strapped to thebody of thepatient, and means directly connected with said beltsection forsuspending the latter from a suitable support in rearwardly downwardlyinclined position while supporting a patient, said belt containing arecess onrits inner side to oppose the posterior process of the spinalcolumn, for the purpose set forth.

2. An appliance for the purpose set forth, comprising a belt-sectionadapted to be strapped to the body of the patient, and means directlyconnected with-said belt-section for suspending the latterv from asuitable supportin rearwardly downwardly inclined position whilesupporting a patient, said belt being formed on its inner side withVAspaced sections affording a recess therebetween, for the purpose setforth.

3. An appliance for the purpose set forth, comprising a belt-sectionadapted to be strapped to the body of the patient, and

means directly connected with said belt-sec tion for suspending thelatter from a suitable support in rearwardly downwardly inclinedpositionwhile supporting a patient, said belt being formed with abody-section provided on its inner side with a recess to oppose theposterior process of the spinal column and padding coniined on saidbodyportion, for the purposev set forth.

4. A 'belt for the purpose set forth formed of a body-section, a sectionof relatively affording a recess and padding extending over saidsections.

"5. A belt for the purpose set forth formed of a body-section ofleather, a strip of relatively stiif leather secured thereto and of`convoluted form and affording a recess and padding extending over saidsection and strip. v. p

6. A mechanical surgery appliance com- In the presence of- O. C. Avisos,

N. B. DEARBORN.

copies of this patent may be otained fol; ve cents each, by *addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

i 'lashingtornQ V f lstiff vmaterial thereon of convoluted form

